bigbasket, the online supermarket seems to be on right track with over 7 million customers. It is one of the few online grocery stores doing well in terms of revenue and staying ahead of the rival brands. The company is clocking monthly sales of about Rs 200 crore and plans to scale it to Rs 300 crore in five months.

This is the company’s third year on Indian television in terms of marketing. The recent TVC conveys how bigbasket sources the fresh products directly from farmers.

“The aim is to educate audiences about our farmer connect programme and how we strive to make lives of the farmer community better as well as deliver a better quality of fresh produce as a result of eliminating middlemen,” said, Meera Iyer, Head of Marketing on their latest campaign.

exchange4media spoke to Meera Iyer to know about the visible trends in the domain and why offline kiosks have taken a position in the business suddenly.

Excerpts:

After spending seven years in the market, you must have developed a know-how on consumer needs. According to you, what trends are leading consumers to buy groceries online?

There is a shift in consumer behaviour today with regard to online buying. The increasing trend of buying groceries online is fuelled by many factors, the primary reason being convenience. Groceries are a very basic need for people in both Tier I metro cities and Tier II non-metros. Fast-paced lifestyles and tedious commuting mean many consumers don't have the time to buy groceries or would like to avoid the chore. Customers are very picky about what they buy as the health of their family is a priority for them. Another factor is that there has been a very marked and positive change in the infrastructure for online connectivity and cellular data. It is much better and cheaper today.

Retailers like us offer the convenience of both delivery and the so-called click-and-collect service. What makes bigbasket lead the way is the 90-minute delivery system, something that is a first in this segment. Apart from this, our range is unmatched by physical stores.

You are looking to challenge the local corner stores by opening offline kiosks? Was it a conscious decision to go offline and how it will help BB in the long run?

It is still in the planning stage. We have installed five machines in apartment complexes and offices. The pilot is working well. The idea is to install 10,000 machines over the next 24 months. These machines carry 24 to 48 products depending on the size of the apartment complex. These machines are unmanned. The objective of these kiosks is to increase the frequency of buying by our customers.

What portion of orders comes from the app compared to the website?

The app to website ratio stands at 75:25 currently.

Selling groceries is a low-margin business, but at the same time, it requires extensive investments to build the high-end supply chain, storage facilities and efficient delivery system. At what profit margin you are currently playing and what are your plans to improve this ratio?

In FY 2016/17, we clocked a revenue of INR 1400 crore. We currently stand at 70,000 orders a day, with operations in 25 cities. There are about 16,000 employees working with us. In terms of operational profitability, Bangalore and Hyderabad are profitable while Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kolkata will start accruing profits in the next quarter. The remaining cities will be operationally profitable by year-end.

Selling groceries is definitely a low-margin business. It thrives on rotation. At bigbasket, with a technology-enabled backend, the inventories are on rotation thrice a month or 36 times a year. This is by far the best in this industry worldwide and ensures good sustainable business for us. Apart from this, about one-third of our business comes from private labels which translates into better margins for us.

This year you received $300 million from e-tailer Alibaba. Could you tell us, where and how are you going to allocate this money to the business?

The target is growth and more of it. With our backend sorted, the next 18 months will see investments in marketing, infrastructure expansion and technology. This growth will translate into two key numbers: reach a revenue of Rs 300 crore in the month of September 2018 (in March 2018, we closed at Rs 202 crore) and Rs 500 crore in the month of March 2019. This will take us to an exit revenue run rate of Rs 6000 crore. We are advancing this goal by one year.

What are the three biggest challenges the online grocery space is facing currently and how will you combat these issues?

The main challenge is to get the supply chain right. This includes solving the complexity of the fresh produce/low shelf life products supply chain. We also face the problem of cracking the exodus of customers in online shopping, with the inertia increasing rapidly. Apart from this, there is the issue of managing a very large blue-collar workforce. Over the last six years, we have pretty much solved all these challenges.

After the government nod to 100 per cent FDI in food retail, how is the online retail space going to change in the next couple of years?

More than FDI, what has aided businesses and the ease of operations is GST. The 100 per cent FDI in retail will encourage more foreign players to set up shop in India. It will only go a long way in increasing the online tribe and the number of people advertising and putting money into online retail. With other aiding factors such as rising internet penetration, awareness of online shopping and lucrative deals and discounts, the number of online spenders will surely witness an increase in the next few years.

Until last June, grocery retail market in India was growing at 10 per cent CAGR, while the e-grocery stood at 0.1 per cent only. These are not very encouraging numbers. How do you see this improving in the next three to four years?

The grocery retail market should be considered as a sum total of rural and urban areas. It is definitely poised for growth in individual cities of the country. As per a Goldman Sachs report, the Indian online grocery market is estimated to reach $40 million (Rs 270 crore) by FY19, growing at a CAGR of 62 per cent from 2016 to 2022. Morgan Stanley expects the online food and grocery segment to become the fastest-growing segment, expanding at a compounded annual growth rate of 141 per cent by 2020 and contributing to 12.5 per cent of overall online retail sales. The growth in e-grocery would be driven by investments, new strategies adopted by grocery players like introducing private labels, same day and next day delivery, as well as B2B food services.

One of the leading names in the fabric and apparel Industry, GRADO from the House of GBTL and OCM joins forces with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as their Principal Sponsor and Cotton Blazer Partner for 2019. In addition to the blazing performances on-field, will also mark the launch of GRADO’s Cotton Collection, with fabrics created to beat the heat and still be comfortable and fashionable.

The format of the association will be of GRADO being SRH’s Principal Sponsor with logo presence on their jersey, on perimeter board, visible branding on the giant screen and collaterals for cheering at the stadium. Along with this, there will be a stand named as ‘GRADO’ reserved for ardent Sunrisers fans on their home turf. An experiential space will also be created for the cricket aficionados. While there will also be tickets for the team’s channel partners, the sixer of this collaboration is GRADO’s tie-up with key SRH players, namely Kane Williamson, Bhuvneshwar, Vijay Shankar and Yusuf Pathan. Along with making numerous runs on-field, the team members are all set to bowl us over via a shoot in stunning Cotton Collection fabrics from GRADO.

The GRADO Cotton Collection will comprise of modish fabrics in vibrant shades and patterns which include solids, checks, stripes, micro and macro structures and much more. At the epitome of comfort and style, this Collection has been crafted with impeccable quality, collation of consumer insights and industry trends.

Speaking about the association, Rajendra Agarwal, Mentor, GRADO, said, “The opportunity to collaborate with Sunrisers Hyderabad as their Principal Sponsor was a momentous stride for us. Our brand and SRH have a lot in common – team spirit, hard-work, well-synced functions and continued dedication. These synchronicities also abetted the launch of our Cotton Collection. The SRH team perfectly dovetails into our brand ethos of simplicity and sophistication.”

Delighted about this alliance, K Shanmugham, CEO, Sunrisers Hyderabad said, “We are delighted to welcome Grado as the principal sponsor with Sunrisers Hyderabad for the forthcoming season Grado is a prestigious brand in the luxury fabric segment and their philosophy resonates with ours. This is an important season for us and we’re looking forward to having their valuable support for what promises to be an exhilarating, and hopefully in our case, a triumphant journey ahead.”

Multiplex operator, INOX Leisure Ltd, are the official partners of Rajasthan Royals. Under the partnership, INOX will have its logo presence on the team attire. INOX has been undertaking initiatives for its viewers to redefine the cinema experience in the country, blending top class luxury, impeccable services and best-in-class technology with its irresistible offers for its viewers. The strategic partnership with Rajasthan Royals will further lend a touch of royalty and offer its patrons an extraordinary experience beyond cinemas.

INOX has introduced a special offer for its guests across the country enabling them to win a free trip to Jaipur to watch a Rajasthan Royals match during this year’s Indian Premier League. INOX viewers will have to book their movie tickets through INOX’s mobile application or through its website in the month of March to be eligible to win the all-expenses-paid trip to Jaipur. Those guests buying a Rajasthan Royals Popcorn Tub will also be eligible for winning the coveted trip. Along with free match tickets, INOX will offer free return air tickets from their place of residence, a 2 Nights-3 Days stay and sightseeing at Jaipur to the winning viewers. The eligible viewers also stand a chance to win the Rajasthan Royals jerseys, autographed merchandise and a chance to meet the Rajasthan Royals players.

Rajasthan Royals have re-launched themselves in its new colour Pink with first Royal, Shane Warne as its brand ambassador. Having donned various hats with Rajasthan Royals, Warne, the brand ambassador of Rajasthan Royals said, during a recently held interactive session at INOX Atria at Mumbai, “Thank you INOX for getting on board with the Rajasthan Royals. It’s a terrific family to be a part of. I am privileged to have witnessed such a beautiful cinematic experience today.”

Alok Tandon, CEO - Inox Leisure Limited added, “With a clear focus on curating the best experience for our patrons, we have continuously been working on partnerships, allowing us to take their cinema experience to new levels. The partnership with Rajasthan Royals adds a royal touch to our brand offering. We invite our patrons across the country to come forward and win a chance to experience the royalty of Rajasthan Royals from close quarters. We would also like to thank Shane and the entire Rajasthan Royals leadership for coming on-board with INOX.”
Warne set the partnership rolling as he addressed the top management of INOX Leisure Ltd and shared his life experiences on how teamwork, respect within the team, and leadership matters for any sport or an organisation to be successful.

In another summer surprise for its viewers, ZEE5 announces world digital premiere of Simmba. The blockbuster with a power-packed star-cast comprising Ranveer Singh, Sara Ali Khan, Sonu Sood and Ashutosh Rana in lead roles, icing it off with a special appearance by Ajay Devgn, is set to premiere on 21st March on ZEE5.

After a having phenomenal run at the box office, Rohit Shetty’s high decibel cop drama is all set for a world digital premiere on ZEE5. The story revolves around Sangram Bhalerao played by Ranveer Singh, a notorious cop who wants to make money. Until an event happens in his life, which alters him and makes him choose the moral path.

Manish Aggarwal, Business Head, ZEE5 India, said, “For over a year, since our inception, Originals and World Digital Premieres have been our key content pillars. While we have had a good run with our Originals, we have also presented some of the biggest blockbusters on the platform straight after their theatrical releases. This year, we have two of the most popular and successful films – Uri: The Surgical Strike and Simmba premiering back to back on the platform. Fans all over have been eagerly waiting for Simmba to release on ZEE5 and the film with its sheer mass appeal and striking performance by Ranveer Singh is certain to become a huge success just like it did at the box office.”

Rohit Shetty, Director and Producer – Simmba, commented, “Simmba is a thorough entertainer yet the issue we are addressing had to be dealt with seriousness. I am glad that the audience loved the film along with the concept of our cop universe. World digital premiere on ZEE5 is a great opportunity for us to take the film to audiences across the globe.’

GSK Consumer Healthcare’s Sensodyne has announced the launch of “Hello Sensodyne” on the ocassion of World Oral Health Day. A first in the category, “Hello Sensodyne” is a technology innovation that uses Google Assistant and helps users understand tooth sensitivity better and offer guidance using voice command.

Using “Hello Sensodyne”, users can now know the symptoms, causes and ways to manage tooth sensitivity. All one has to do is launch the Google Assistant application on any smartphone and say “Hello Sensodyne”.

Anurita Chopra, Area Marketing Director, Oral Health, GSK Consumer Healthcare said, “Tooth sensitivity is a common condition not only in India but around the world. The lack of awareness of this condition makes many consumers give up the simple pleasures of enjoying their favourite food and drinks. We are excited to launch this break through, first-of-its-kind tech innovation ‘Hello Sensodyne’ that will address queries of individuals on tooth sensitivity and allow them to take actions towards leading a sensitivity free life.”

In India, 1 in 3 adults suffer from tooth sensitivity. It is a condition that can develop over time, typically as a result receding gums and enamel wear. Tooth sensitivity happens when the softer, inner part of the tooth called ‘dentine’ gets exposed. Dentine lies under the enamel and the gums. Once the dentine is exposed, external triggers (such as a cold or hot drink) can stimulate the nerves inside the tooth, causing the characteristic short, sharp sensation of tooth sensitivity.

Goibibo has launched its Travel Cash Fest campaign by signing up with two of the most popular IPL teams, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The campaign has been aimed at generating excitement and gaining traction among young Indians by bringing together Cricket, Bollywood and passion for Travel through one of its most rewarding campaigns.

The campaign this year is an extension of last year’s successful summer campaign during IPL, aiming to take it to an even grander scale by signing up with two IPL teams instead of one.

The inclusion of Super Matches and Super Days as part of this campaign will give an even higher opportunity for customers to win Travel Cash on the Goibibo App.

Taking the offering a notch higher, the campaign this time offers the option to purchase Goibibo pass, in case the user does not have an immediate travel plan in mind and wants to preserve travel cash from expiring. The Goibibo pass can be used to get room nights, flight meals, hotel upgrades, insurance and more over a period of one year.

Commenting on the campaign, Saujanya Shrivastava, Group Chief Marketing Officer, said, “At Goibibo, we have gone beyond the sponsorship association to bring out a winning proposition that will entertain, engage and give an opportunity to earn Travel Cash in a captivating gaming format. Innovative product like Goibibo pass will further whet the appetite of travelers as they play and win for new milestones. While celebrating the game India loves, the campaign will not just spur but also reward travel aspirations of a young India on the move.”

Hemant Misra, Managing Director, Magic Circle, said, “Using the ammunition of multiple celebrities in a meaningful and engaging way to present the travel cash construct on Goibibo made the challenge for us even greater this time. While rivalry has been used often in cricketing context, we spun it around to a rivalry that works at scoring more not simply to win the match but to win travel cash. The storyline built an electrifying chemistry between the celebrities and we are looking forward to see the viewers gaming for travel cash this IPL as they enjoy these top teams compete.”

To win during the Travel Cash Fest, consumers will have to keep their Goibibo App open while the match is on to get a chance to earn while enjoying the IPL game. Goibibo’s new high-decibel campaign aims to drive deeper engagement with the brand among cricket viewing audiences by driving real-time engagement between the game and their travel rewards.

A 360-degree marketing campaign will include TVCs which will run for 8 weeks across high-impact genres like IPL, General Entertainment Channels, HD channels, Hindi Movies, Hindi and English News and Regional channels. The characters in the TVC have been brought to life by MagicCircle.

Every icon has an origin story. Initially designed as a staple that could withstand the work of ranch hands and rodeo cowboys, Wrangler denim soon became a revolutionary style move for the icons. Its simple functionality and outlaw appeal made Wrangler a natural choice for artists, musicians, and actors always looking to set trends and blaze new trails. To celebrate this authentic attitude and era-defining style, Wrangler introduces its Icons Collection of jeans, shirts, and jackets for a generation who will create and be part of the iconic moments of today.

Six iconic denim styles, steeped in heritage and forever linked to the 70-year Wrangler journey have been re-issued and restyled for the modern world. The definitive, cult icons are available in four different stages of wear and fade to give the collection its unique edge (new, one year, two years and three years):

New: Denim comes in crisp, rich, and dark, straight from the mill.

One year: Darker fade patterns recall a year of wear while keeping to the denim connoisseur’s trend for rarely washing jeans.

Two years: The lighter, less contrasted look of faded denim that comes from two years of wearing and washing regularly.

Three years: In line with the evolution of the “no wash” trend, this denim recreates the look of a jean that has been washed only a handful of times, with authentic fade patterns.

11MWZ, Men’s Western Zipper: For the 2019 reissue, the original style’s exaggerated “kick" historically cut generously to fit over a cowboy boot, is streamlined for today’s consumer. Otherwise, with the same slim profile, higher rise and original tobacco stitching against the revolutionary broken twill denim, it’s just as any mid-century rodeo star would remember it. Available in new, one- year, two-year and three-year wear and fade patterns.

124MJ, Men’s Western Jacket: The archetypal denim jacket, Steve McQueen wore it buttoned up and collar popped, while John Lennon took a more bohemian approach, wearing his open and over a shirt or sweater. Regardless of how you style it, the design is timeless, and the reissue is virtually unchanged. The sleeves are slimmed, and the body is slightly lengthened and the proportions, positioning of the heritage tobacco stitching, rounded pocket flaps and copper buttons are all true to the original. Available in new and three-year.

27MW, Men’s Western Shirt: Created for cowboys but embraced by rock stars, the 27MW launched in the mid-1960s, this piece quickly became a blueprint for the western-style shirt. The reissue remains faithful to the original, with authentic detailing on the shape and depth of the yokes, cuffs, and plackets, color and positioning of the stitching, and iconic details such as the W pocket stitching and pearl snaps. Available in new and one-year.

Beginning late February, the Wrangler Icon collection will be available at key Wrangler outlets.

It’s the time of the year when families come together to celebrate Holi. Carvaan has introduced the idea of being able to enjoy the occasion with dear ones while swinging to evergreen Bollywood songs.

Saregama Carvaan is pre-loaded with 5,000 evergreen Hindi songs. The collection has been handpicked through a process of research and classified based on artistes, lyricists and music composers and genres and moods.

From the entire and much popular vintage collection of Ameen Sayani’s Geetmala to R.D. Burman’s pulsating hits, to the evergreen favourites of Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Mohd Rafi and Mukesh, one can select any category by turning the jog-dial and re-live the golden era of music. You can also enjoy your personal collection of songs by plugging in a USB drive or by streaming songs from your phone to Carvaan via Bluetooth.

Going beyond the barriers of language, one can pick Carvaan from Carvaan Mini Tamil, Gurbani and Hindi. Additionally, there is Carvaan Tamil and Bengali, along with self-indulging Carvaan Gold and Carvaan Premium.

TCL Electronics, the global television brand, and consumer electronics company, has announced its partnership with Delhi Capitals as a team sponsor for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Delhi Capitals (previously Delhi Daredevils) is one of the founding members of the Indian Premier League and has participated in every edition of the popular annual cricketing tournament.

As part of the association, TCL will sponsor the Delhi-based T20 team for the duration of IPL 12. A game-changer in the television and consumer electronics space, TCL Electronics’ decision to partner with the IPL team is only natural given the latter’s status as a brand that has changed the face of cricket and sports in India.

The association also taps into the synergies between TCL’s global legacy of over 38 years as a pioneering consumer electronics company – as well as the country’s 5th largest television brand as per the current market share – and Delhi’s rich cultural, social, economic, and political heritage as the national capital. Leveraging IPL’s massive reach and viewership, the brand aims to further cement its leadership position within the Indian market. The latest development reaffirms TCL’s strong India-first approach and underlines its commitment to delivering newer experiences and innovative, cutting-edge technology affordably to the country’s vast and growing customer base.

The company inaugurated its GIANT Panel factory in Tirupati, Andra Pradesh, in 2018 – its first such manufacturing facility outside of China. Expected to commence operations this year, the Tirupati unit will create more than 8,000 jobs to revitalise economic activity within the region, in addition to helping TCL provide innovative India-centric products at the most value-driven price points to customers across the country.

Speaking on the announcement, TCL India Country Manager Mike Chen, said, “As one of the biggest sports hubs in India, the Delhi/NCR region has a massive base of cricket fans devoted to Delhi Capitals. Our decision to partner with the T20 team, however, is influenced by more than just the end-consumer reach. Both TCL Electronics and Delhi Capitals have distinguished brand legacies and are known to be game-changers and pioneers in their respective domains. This mutual core synergy is why we have tied-up with Delhi Capitals as a team sponsor.” “IPL is an India-centric intellectual property and is present across the country, while New Delhi is the country’s power centre as its Capital. Our association with Delhi Capitals and, by extension, IPL 2019 will help us to tap into India’s passion for cricket and deliver newer experiences to customers on a pan-India level,” he added.

Dhiraj Malhotra, CEO – Delhi Capitals said, “We are delighted that a top global brand such as TCL Electronics has come on board as the team sponsor for Delhi Capitals. As a team, we aspire to engage, delight, and entertain cricket fans across the country. The association with TCL will help us elevate that engagement to another level through novel cross-channel initiatives.”

During the two-month long tournament, TCL Electronics will also run an integrated brand campaign across multiple online and offline channels. As part of the campaign, the brand will also launch new products and categories to the Indian market, and promote its current offerings across various channels. This will include social media engagement, on-ground activations, strategic website banner placements, and a ‘Cheer for the Brand’ selfie contest, as well as a recognition of ‘Best Fan Moment’ in collaboration with Delhi Capitals.

TCL India Country Manager Mike Chen said, “Having emerged as a game-changer in the consumer electronics space, we will further leverage the mileage from this association to introduce new products and categories to TCL’s portfolio for the Indian market. We will be looking to further build on our India-first approach and bolster our emphasis on creating products ‘for the people, by the people, with the people’.”

A leading player in the global TV and consumer electronics segments, TCL Electronics has established itself as a frontrunner in the Indian market within a short time since its national launch. The brand has emerged as a clear consumer favourite across multiple categories, such as home entertainment, on the back of its advanced tech-led products and unmatched affordable pricing. With its latest association,

TCL Electronics is further consolidating its market position and driving heightened brand engagement through the medium of cricket – the most popular sports in India. TCL will also introduce special offers and campaigns in association with Delhi Capitals throughout the tournament to deliver novel experiences to all Indian cricket lovers.

Star Sports and BCCI have tied up for the VIVO IPL 2019 Trophy Tour with an AI powered training installation developed by Google.

The Trophy Tour that started in New Delhi on Sunday will travel across each franchisee city with Bengaluru on 22nd March, Chennai on 23rd March, Mumbai on 24th March, Kolkata on 30th March, Hyderabad on 31st March, Jaipur on 6th April and finally Chandigarh on 7th April. This will give fans an opportunity to get their hands on the coveted VIVO IPL trophy.

The Trophy Tour began in Delhi where fans experienced a new and evolved platform called the ‘AI Coach’ teaching a range of famous cricket shots and comparing their skills against the pros.

Setting the perfect start to this 8-city long tour, fans were seen attempting practice shots, and then comparing that to a pre-trained video of the cricketer they selected that gave them an accurate score.

Morris Garages India has announced British actor Benedict Cumberbatch as its brand ambassador.

Cumberbatch on the association with MG brand said, “I have grown up seeing and reading about MGB’s and MG Midgets, recognising MG as a classic and iconic brand. I am delighted to be part of the launch of the new MG in India with the MG Hector, which may well be a classic of the future.”

Rajeev Chaba, Managing Director and CEO, MG India, said, “As one of the most recognised and beloved cultural icons from the UK, Benedict has a lot in common with Morris Garages. He has, throughout his career, experimented with various types of roles across stage productions, TV shows and movies to push the bar ever higher, something which resonates with MG’s commitment to technological innovation. His social and philanthropic work, as well as his support for inclusivity beyond gender is also in sync with our core brand ideology of nurturing diversity. We are glad to have Benedict Cumberbatch as our brand ambassador to represent MG.”

Cumberbatch of ‘Sherlock’ fame follows a strong resonance among pop culture and youth. The association further underlines MG’s unique British heritage and its focus on enabling the future with the core pillars of innovation, diversity and technology.